Device for the ignition and the operation of a gas filled electric discharge apparatus



Nov. 10, 1953 CLAUDE 2,659,037

DEVICE FOR THE IGNITION AND THE OPERATION OF A GAS FILLED ELECTRIC DISCHARGE APPARATUS Filed June 18, 1948 I van roR A -12 RE CLAUDE r'f z' 5 -17 "2f""" Patented Nov. 10, 1953 2, 59,0 .nEYiQetolt-memmmeh QLEH: an :NQF A GAS ue-12 QHARQ AEB H es s w tie, Fee

Al pl eati e Juee l8 3 MB 11.. JF QQQ @191 Section 1, Public Law 6,90,A ugust 8, 1946 jl atentexpires Jul-y 28f'1961 :The :present application is .awcontiml tmnz part of my application Serial "No. 55,7;96, filfld, Mareh 29, 1946, now abandoned.

-invention relates to devices for starting and operating alternating current aetuatedeleetric ciligeha rge apparatus eonta-irring 'a gaseous atmesvhere'whiq is h r app ra u q r theatizliea ien o a hi er vol a e f r n h m than required fo the eu pse n normal 9- e atimtherw this numeea it, llzao e l igl fi k fi ircuitsllcomnri lnga r actanee eoilinvseries with the some? Qf-et rm nd a entenser .conne ed to th te m nals of the a s mbly tomeshf h r-le tweeter the ewnd me wth thelatter. When the reeonanee i h eistliaie mmtus, hlghh -lqed Re m 1 t. t A een e e nb ne Emmetl es rrent will dama the co h ugh-whic it fl ws-unle s a r priat eu eu rm dee- Ifhe prixgcipal n l ject Io: the pres t invention i $9 av id h d awbaek- Ane h eblect tgpr ov de re vnan e ef ect qireuit in whi h it ie not necessarythat thet on-e den e b e high e ap cit a in the. ate-2e Q mu h A :inrthe pbiec :to avoid t efearrem that t k plate wh n e e= iih r ae aP- mews i t e bye u ual l nem efi t em: anc ha eu m ts he e e tqde to a ex e' ei e Strai Still another object is to render the shape of th tenrea e t eeik l 9 theeermatn Qh te apparatus, -.tha,t is the curve iving-the in, tensity ofet he tdis'charge eurrent yereus .jti ne, ;a nearia desired t hat obt ned when mean De atus is fed from the ,source...-di 16=l tha 1? only through a reactance coil.

- Q Yetianother objeet-is toreducetheloes ofepower inthe device while sat fif llg allthe e99 qitione ne e s ry tore-P o er or sf the aim-em neit is alsoran he obiectto ohtainah ghp wer iaetomithout eqn c ine a nden e acres the main t r i als- .In as h ie h x ehn aratue aim ndedl-iqr illuminatioa. tin another nhi t i t Qbta" a satieiaetqryietapility the l mil qus 11112:, te d toweonstruqt the device that, io rja yari'atig Qt-l Z? in thevi ed lng v tage, the lum nqusfl z will ar =Q1 :b 15, v n on ab y As end n to hemeitieenath h s h coil is used in series with the 'abi'fe rnenti condensereta de nndeq s e n :7

netieally :md nendent :and the three :reacta-nee eoileandtheeonclensen beingiso dimensioned that them-tensit oftheeurrent circulating at no load in the devicei. e. when no current flows thnough thehiech e apparatus although the resonance 9E528" ranchedtoan alternative source of ourozbe .sllfiieiently low to ensure jthat lthe hiQhjS dimensionedioranormal heatll-Am e operation, will not overheat v.due to :a R h dfi9W 10f .ano-loadeurre t. The intensity of 0: d current may he maintained i-lower 1 .di mes the operating eurrent,1and;even, gar ins G,;s1lb$ta1l;tial1yequal to the, later. 1

h, end. thirdqreactance coils and :the con.- ellserz ermezre pnant eireuitwhieh .must be in nent a rat het-le i'ai the ifiiequency oft-the. source ie -1mm -vo1ta epf this .sourzce must be shfieient 1 feed "d rectly? that :is only through 22. eaata e cell. thedi charge appa a us ft th lifithe fi th latter has stated.

#lheeheaehf he curve .of the discharge current tel eue ti 9 array ibelma ntalned as near as :re: m6 ,theqlfie cal rzfiinusoid, this a'mprmzet- 6 w n dependin v:mmzh more. on the o ereaetanee of: the. .thirdtcoil;:than 51 214 9f 12t fimacity- Satisfactory e arpl 20 :the shape of. the "current othe PQS, are obtained by gso g 3i hllcQi 5laIld the condenser g q lgl i igllg l fii n the :woltage v521.17 the S 5 f th .i emlenser :be at least 1.5 .or in the w l ggfi'atztheaterminals ofithe 33 i ll J ne sot heme provided with rattles/ice, 9 owe ing zits fitarting voltage. m ved tha fiucha change in the @15 ,rQ JQi JQIA M59 13eieviqeufer210 ;-v ,v 113%? when ,:this.eoun1ing;is. i th .second ireactance icoil :r sult inlan iunsatisfactor unless. the coupling is :very

ethemetlc nyi wppfla icircuitlembodygas s-2 3 cult embodying a modified form of the present invention.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters designate similar parts, there is shown in Fig. 1 a circuit including main terminals l3 and I4. The voltage of the current supplied by the main is 220 and the frequency 50 cycles per second. is the discharge apparatus, of the positive column type, comprising a tubular envelope containing a gaseous atmosphere, such as a few millimeters of argon and a drop of mercury, and two monopolar electrodes H, 12, of the thermionic and self heating type spaced 930 millimeters apart. The starting voltage of the electric discharge apparatus is about 360 volts and the operation voltage is about 125 volts. The resonance effect device comprises a 2 microiarad condenser 4 and three inductance coils i, 2, 3, wound on independent magnetic circuits. The self-inductance value of coil l is 1.6 henries, that of coil 2 is 1 henry and that of coil 3 is 2.1 henries. The no-load voltage of this resonance effect device, when fed by the above source of current, is about 370 volts.

Once the starting or ignitionof the discharge apparatus has been efiected, it may be advantageous to modify the connections of the fundamental arrangements. For instance, after ignition, it is possible to connect the two reactance coils I and 3 in parallel, in known manner-by means of the connection shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and comprising a switch 6 controlled if desired by a relayso that the condenser is then directly connected across the terminals l3, [4 of the main or line from the source of current. According to the invention it is possible to so dimension or construct the different elements that the intensity of current flowing in the discharge apparatus at the end of the starting period is substantially equal to that of the operating current obtained after connecting reactance coils l and 3 in parallel. In case of the switch being controlled by an automatic relay, the switching-on can be delayed, without appreciable inconvenience, the above mentioned current intensity remaining substantially constant. Moreover it should be noted that the dimensioning of the elements thus efiected frequently suffices for ensuring a satisfactory feeding of the apparatus, even if said connecting in parallel is not effected. The addition of the relay is simply an improvement securing a better power factor and a slight diminution of the losses in the apparatus. If, for any reason, the relay does not operate, the apparatus continues nevertheless to operate under conditions very good in all respects.

Referring to Figure 2, reference numerals Ba and Ma designate as in Fig. 1 the terminals of the mains, the voltage across which is 220 volts; The current has a frequency of 50 cycles per second. Reference numeral 5a is the discharge apparatus, of the positive column type, comprising a tubular envelope containing a gaseous atmosphere such as a few millimeters of argon and a drop of mercury, two main monopolar electrodes: I la, In of the thermionic and self-heating type spaced 930 millimeters apart, and two auxiliary electrodes in, 8a, each 2 millimeters distant from the nearest main electrode. The value of the resistances 9a, Hid, connecting each of the auxiliary electrodes to the farthest main electrode is 20,000 ohms. The striking voltage of the electric discharge apparatus is about 320 volts and the operation voltage is about 125 volts. The resonance efiect device comprises a 2 microfarad condenser so and three inductance coils la, 2a, 3a. The coils la and 3a are wound in the same direction on the same magnetic circuit, the self-inductance value of coil [a being 1.4 henries and that of coil 3c bein 1.95 henries. The coil 2a, the self-inductance value of which is 1 henry, is wound on another magnetic circuit. The no-load voltage of the resonance effect device, when fed by the above source of current, is about 370 volts.

As described in connection with Figure 1, the contingent utilisation of a switch 6 to be closed after ignition is contemplated; the known circuit is then obtained which comprises a condenser 4a which is'utilised for improving the power factor, and a'ballast-ohoke connected in series with the discharge apparatus; the choke consists here of the inductance coils Ia and 3c in parallel and of the coil 2a.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, an alternating current supply line of a given frequency having two conductors, a gaseous electric discharge apparatus the starting voltage of which is substantially higher than the voltage sufiicient for ensuring a stable operation and the operating voltage of which is sufficiently low for the direect feeding by the supply line after starting, said discharge apparatus having two terminals, a first reactance coil, a connection between one end of said first reactance coil and one conductor of said current supply line, a second reactance coil, a connection between one end of said second reactance coil and the other end of said first reactance coil, a connection between the other end of said second reactanoe coil and one terminal or the discharge apparatus, said second reactance coil being magnetically independent of said first reactance coil, a connection between the other terminal of the discharge apparatus and the other conductor of the current supply line, a third reactance coil, said third reactance coil being magnetically independent of said second reactance coil, a connection between one end of said third reaotance coil and said one end of the second reactance coil, a condenser having two terminals, a connection between one terminal of said condenser and the other end of said third reactance coil, a connection between the other terminal of the condenser and said other terminal of the discharge apparatus, said first and third reactance coils and said condenser forming a circuit in partial resonance at the frequency of the current supply line.

2. The combination of claim 1, including a switch having two terminals, one of said terminals being connected to said other terminal of the third reactance coil and the other terminal of the switch being connected to said one end of the first reactance coil.

3. The combination of claim 1, including a switch havin two terminals, one of said terminals being connected to said other terminal of the third reactance coil and the other terminal of the switch being connected to said one end of the first reactance coil, and in which the dimensioning of the three reactances and of the condenser is such as to render the no-load current of the current supply line sufficiently low to avoid damage to said first reactance coil when said first reactance coil is so dimensionedas to avoid exceeding the conventionally allowed heating during the normal operation of the discharge apparatus.

'4. The combination of claim 1, including a answer switch *havingtwo'terminals, one of said termi= nails being connected to said "other terminal of the "third reactance coil-and the-other terminal of the being connected- ":said ohe end of "the first reactarr'ee cci'l,-' and'in-which the dimensioning of the three reactances alrrd of the condenser ie -such *as to render the sno load current of the current "supply line =lower than 1*.5 times the operating current of said current supply'line.

5. -'In combination, an alternating current supply line of a given frecmency having twomon ductors, a gaseous electric discharge apparatus the starting voltage of which is substantially higher the voltage siifiicient tor ensuring a stable operation "and the operating voltage of which is sufficiently l'ow for the direct feeding by the -supply line after starting, said discharge apparatus hav-ing two terminals, a first deactanee coil, a connection between one of said first *re'actance *coil and one conductor of current supply line, a first assembly comprising said discharge apparatus, a second reactance coil and a connection between one terminal of said-discharge "apparatus and one end of said second reactance coil, said first assembly being connected across the othereiid'of said-firemeactance coil "a'hiithe dther ccneuetcror the current supply line, a second assembly comprising a condenser having two terminals, a third reacta'nce coil and a connection between one terminal of said condenser and one endof said third reactanc'e coil, said second assembly being connected'across said other end of said first -r'eactanbe coil-and said other conductor of the current supply line, said second reactance coil-locing m'agn'tically independent of said first and third 'reactance coils and said first and third reactance coilsa'rfd said condenser forming a circuit in partial resonance at the frequency of the current supply line.

6. In combination, an alternating current supply line of a given frequency having two conductors, a gaseous electric discharge apparatus the starting voltage of which is substanaially higher than the voltage suificient for ensuring a stable operation and the operating voltage of which is suificiently low for the direct feeding by the supply line after starting, said discharge apparatus having two terminals, a first reactance coil, a connection between one end of said first reactance coil and one conductor of the current supply line, a first assembly comprising said discharge apparatus, a second reactance coil and a connection between one terminal of said discharge apparatus and one end of said second reactance coil, said first assembly being connected across the other end of said first reactance coil and the other conductor of the current supply line, a second assembly comprising a condenser having two terminals, a third reactance coil and a connection between one terminal of said condenser and one end of said third reactance coil, said second assembly being connected across said other end of said first reactance coil and said other conductor of the current supply line, said second reactance coil being magnetically independent of said first and third reactance coils, said first and third reactance coils and said condenser forming a circuit in partial resonance at the frequency of the current supply line, and the dimensioning of the three reactances and of the condenser being such as to render the no-load current of the current supply line sufficiently low to avoid damage to said first 'rco'il said 'm is so dimensioned as to avoid exceeding the clinventiemlly al lowed heating during the normal operation "of the discharge apparatus.

'7. The combi 'nartion of claim 6 in which the dimensioning 'of the three rea'ctances *andbf the condenser is such as to render the no -loadcurrent 'of the supply line :lower than times the -operating current of said-current sup p ly line.

8. Th'e combination of claim'fi, in'whioh the dimensioning of 1 the three reactances'eirrd of the condenser is such :as to render the no load-current of the current supply :line sufficiently :low to avoid damage to said first readtance coilwhe'n sa id firstreacta'nce coil :is sodimension'edas-to avoid exceeding theconventionally allowed heat ingduring 'the normal operation of the discharge apparatus.

The'r'combiiiation of claim :5, in whichthe dimensioning of r the three rcactances and of the condenser such as torender the -no load current of the =cmrent supp y line lower than 1 .5

times the operating 'current 'of said -current-sup=- ply-line.

10. whe' combination of 'claim- 5, which-the dimensioning of the three re'actances-endpf the condenser is "such :as to render the operating voltage at the terminals of the condenser-at least equal to ll5'times the operating "voltage at the te'rminals of the electric discharge apparatus.

11. In combination, an "alternating current supply line of a given frequency .having two conductors, a gaseous electric discharge apparatus the starting voltage of which is substantially. higher than the voltage "sufiicientzior ensuring a stable operation "and the operating voltage of which is suific'iently lo'w for the direct feeding by the supply :line after starting, said discharge apparatus having two terminals; a firstreactance coil, :a connection between oneend of said first reactance coil and one conductor of the current supply line, a first assembly comprising said discharge apparatus, a second reactance coil and a connection between one terminal of said discharge apparatus and one end of said second reactancc coil, said first assembly being connected across the other end of said first reactance coil and the other conductor of the current supply line, a second assembly comprising a condenser having two terminals, a third reactance coil and a connection between one terminal of said condenser and one end of said third reactance coil, said second assembly being connected across said other end of said first reactance coil and said other conductor of the current supply line, said first reactance coil being magnetically coupled with said third reactance coil, said second reactance coil being magnetically independent of said first and third reactance coils and said first and third reactance coils and said condenser forming a circuit in partial resonance at the frequency of the current supply line, and the electric discharge apparatus being provided with a device for lowering the starting voltage of the gaseous electric discharge apparatus. Y

12. In combination, an alternating current supply line of a given frequency having two conductors, a gaseous electric discharge apparatus the starting voltage of which is substantially higher than the voltage sufficient for ensuring a stable operation and the operating voltage of which is sufficiently low for the direct feeding by the supply line after starting, said discharge apparatus having two terminals, a first reactance coil, a connection between one end of said first reactance coil and one conductor of said current supply line, a second reactance coil, a connection between one end of said second reactance coil and the other end of said first reactance coil, a connection between the other end of said second reactance coil and one terminal of the discharge apparatus, said second reactance coil being magnetically independent of said first reactance coil, a connection between the other terminal of the discharge apparatus and the other conductor of the current supply line, a third reactance coil, said third reactance coil being magnetically independent of said second reactance coil, and being magnetically coupled with said first reactance coil, a connection between one end of said third reactance coil and said one end of the second reactance coil, a condenser having two terminals, a connection between one terminal of said condenser and the other end of said third reactance coil, a connection between the other terminal of the condenser and said other terminal of the discharge apparatus, said first and third reactance coils and said condenser forming a circuit in partial resonance at the frequency of the current supply line, and

:the electric discharge apparatus being provided with a device for lowering the starting voltage of the gaseous electric discharge apparatus.

13. In combination, an alternating current supply line of a given frequency having two conductors, a gaseous electric discharge apparatus the starting voltage of which is substantially higher than the voltage sufiicient for ensuring a stable operation and the operating voltage of which is sul'liciently low for the direct feeding by the supply line after starting, said discharge apparatus having two terminals, a first reactance coil, a connection between one end of said first reactance coil and one conductor of said current supply line, an assembly comprising a second reactance coil, said discharge apparatus and a connection between one terminal of said discharge apparatus and one end of said second reactance coil, said second reactance coil beingmagnetically independent of said first reactance coil, a consaid condenser and the other end of said third reactance coil, a connection between the other terminal of the condenser and said other conductor of the current supply line, said first and third reactance coils and said condenser forming a circuit in partial resonance at the frequency of the current supply line.

ANDRE CLAUDE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,971,940 Pirani Aug. 28, 1934 2,056,660 Foulke Oct. 6, 1936 2,182,609 Bethenod Dec. 5, 1939 2,284,407 Edwards May 26, 1942 2,301,671 Abadie g Nov. 10, 1942 2,333,499 Warren Nov. 2, 1943 2,373,492 Lecorguillier Apr. 10, 1945 2,456,870 Francis et a1. Dec. 21, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 63,985 Denmark Sept. 17, 1945 

